If you have worked in both Canada and the United States or are
contemplating a move to the U.S. after years of working in Canada
(or vice versa), you may wonder about paying into both the Canada
Pension Plan (CPP) system and the U.S. Social Security system. Will
you be able to collect pensions from both countries? The short
answer is that it is possible, but while there are opportunities,
there can also be pitfalls.
Entitlement
CPP entitlement is based on the amount of contributions you have
made over your career. There are no restrictions on the number of
years you need to contribute (other than QPP in Quebec, where you
must have contributed for a full year). If you have only worked in
Canada for a short period of time, the amount you receive may be
minimal. However, if you spent a significant portion of your work
life in Canada and your salary was at the maximum CPP contribution
level, you may qualify for the full pension.
